Stapler adapter for installing doors

ABSTRACT

A stapler adapter mounted on the face plate of a conventional pneumatic stapler for guiding the ejection of the stapler so that one leg of the staple penetrates the structural frame and the other leg of the staple penetrates the door frame. For accurately locating the legs of the staple with respect to the area of penetration of the structural frame and the area of penetration of the door frame, guide members are optionally and selectively employed to engage the back edge of the door frame either from the right-hand or left-hand working position. The stapler adapter of the present invention includes a first guide member and second guide member that are respectively movable between a retracted position and an extended position for optional and selective use depended on whether the selected guide member is to engage the door frame either from the right-hand or left-hand working position.

United States Patent Fitchen [4 1 Oct. 10, 1972 [54] STAPLER ADAPTER FOR INSTALLING DOORS [57] ABSTRACT Inventor! Pete! D A stapler adapter mounted on the face plate of a conland Drive, a ga. Callf- 95070 ventional pneumatic stapler for guiding the ejection of [22] Filed; June 28 1971 the stapler so that one leg of the staple penetrates the structural frame and the other leg of the staple [21] Appl- 157,477 penetrates the door frame. For accurately locating the legs of the staple with respect to the area of penetra- [52] US Cl ..227/110, 227/156 i n of th structural frame and the area of penetra- [51] Int. Cl ..B25c 7/00 tion of the door frame, guide members are optionally [58] Field of Search ..227/110, H9, 123, 139, 140, and selectively employed to engage the back edge of 227/ 148, 156 the door frame either from the right-hand or left-hand working position. The stapler adapter of the present References Cited invention includes a first guide member and second UNITED STATES PATENTS guide member that are respectively movable between a retracted positron and an extended position for 0p- 2,765,465 10/1956 Sorenson ..227/156 X tional and selective use depended on whether the AIISPC" X selected member is to engage the door frame 3,429,013 2/ 1969 Pabrch et al. ..227/156 X either f the right hand or ft h d working Position. Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Jack M. Wiseman 7 Clains, 4 Ih'awing Figures /7 l \q x PATENTEDQBI 10 I972 INVENTOR- PETER F. FITCHEN BY V ATTORNEY STAPLER ADAPTER FOR INSTALLING DOORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Stapler adapters heretofore employed in the installation of doors included a single guide member that was fixed to a guide plate. The guide plate was detachably mounted on an attachment plate. It was the guide plate that was interchangeably mounted on the attachment plate for selecting the locations of the guide member in engaging the back edge of the door frame from either the right-hand or left-hand working position. The above arrangement has been disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 81,331, filed Oct. 16, 1970, for Devices For And Method Of Installation Of Prehung Doors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A stapler adapter for a stapler employed in hanging doors comprising an attachment plate to be secured to the face plate of the stapler and a first and second guide member supported by the attachment plate for movement, respectively, between an extended position and a retracted position.

By virtue of the present invention, the placement of the selected guide member in the extended position is achieved by the mere application of force by the thumb of the operator. The retraction of a guide member is accomplished by the mere impact of the extended blade against a firm surface. Thus, the interchangeability of the guide members are greatly facilitated.

In addition, the present invention has reduced the cost of producing a stapler adapter for a stapler employed in hanging doors while facilitating the use thereof in making the selection of guide members more rapid and less cumbersome. In the event of breakage of guide members, the replacement thereof is a relatively simple procedure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stapler adapter of the present invention mounted on a pneumatic stapler.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stapler adapter embodying the present invention illustrated mounted on the face plate of the stapler shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the stapler shown in FIG. 2 mounted on a pneumatic stapler and illustrated'with a staple that has penetrated a door frame and a structural frame.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a conventional pneumatic stapler S, such as the Senco-Matic PW Series pneumatic stapler which is adaptable for ejecting staples for the installation of a door frame to a structural frame. The stapler S includes a face plate P.

The stapler adapter (FIGS. 1 and 2) embodying the present invention is mounted in fixed relation to the nose of the stapler S and on the face plate P thereof by suitable means, such as screws or the like. The nose of the stapler S and the face plate P upon which the adapter 10 is mounted should be milled or ground off as necessary to ensure flush driving of the staples.

The stapler adapter 10 comprises an attachment plate 11 which is fixed to the face plate P of the stapler S by suitable means, such as screws or the like. The attachment plate 11 has a block or a rectanguloid configuration. More specifically, the attachment plate 11 includes an upright wall 11a, which is fixed to the face plate P in even and flush contact therewith. A parallel wall 11b of the same dimension as the wall 11a faces outwardly from the stapler S. Side walls 11c and 11d are of equal dimension and in parallel relation. End walls lle and 11f are at right angles to the face plate P and are disposed in parallel relation and are of equal dimension.

Formed in the attachment plate 1 1 are parallel, elongated grooves 12 and 13 (FIG. 4). The grooves 12 and 13 are vertically disposed and extend through the end walls lle and 11f and the upright wall 11a that engages the face plate P, but does not extend through the upright wall 11b that faces outwardly from the stapler S. Thus, the channels 12 and 13 are exposed to the face plate P but do not enter the wall 11b.

Disposed within the grooves 12 and 13, respectively are elongated, narrow guide members 14 and 15 that have blade-like configuration. While reference is made herein to vertical, upright and the like, it is to be understood that when the stapler S is in operation (FIG. 3) the walls 11a and 11b, grooves 12 and 13 and guide members 14 and 15 are disposed in parallel relation and are spaced transversely relative to the nose and face plate P of the stapler S. As shown in the drawings, the guide members 14 and 15 are of greater length than the longitudinal dimension L (FIG. 4) of the walls 11a and 11b of the attachment plate 11 so as to extend beyond the end wall 1 1e or the end wall 11f thereof.

It is to be observed that the guide members 14 and 15 can be moved respectively within the grooves 12 and 13 to an extended downward direction as shown by the guide member 15 in FIGS. l-3 by applying a force thereto by means of the thumb of an operator and can be moved respectively within the grooves 12 and 13 to a retracted position as shown by the guide member 14 in FIGS. l-3 by striking the extended ends thereof against a hard surface. The guide members 14 and 15 are indexed and retained in the attachment plate 11 at the selected position and at prescribed locations by means of suitable depressions or grooves 20 and 21 formed in the guide plate 14, which depression or grooves 20 and 21 selectively receive a spring loaded detent 24 and depressions or grooves 22 and 23 formed in the guide plate 15 which depressions or grooves 22 and 23 selectively receive a spring loaded detent 25.

It is desired that one leg of a staple ejected from the stapler S enter a door frame, DF (FIG. 3) approximately midway between the walls thereof for maximum retention and minimum splitting and also be located so that the door casing conceals the staple. Hence, the stapler adapter 10 of the present invention gauges the location of the stapler head and thereby the ejection of the staples with respect to the wall of the door frame DF and also the structural frame SF. In this manner, an accurate location is established for the installation of the door frame DF. Dependent on whether the operator has a right-hand or a left-hand working position, either the guide member 15 will engage the back edge BE of the door frame DF (FIG. 3) or the guide member 14 will engage the back edge BE of the door frame DF. Alternatively, the door edge DE of the door frame DF could also be used.

Therefore, the depth of the guide members 14 and 15 are of sufficient dimension so as to enable an operator to position the stapler S at the desired location with respect to the door frame DF. In addition thereto, the guide members 14 and 15 are precisely located on the attachment plate 11 so that one leg of the staple penetrates the door frame DF and the other leg of the staple penetrates the structural frame SF in the manner abovedescribed.

Either the guide member 14 of the guide member 15 is employed during the ejection of a staple from the stapler S. When the guide member 15 is used, it is in the extended position (FIG. 3) and the guide member 14 is in the retracted position (FIG. 3).

When the guide member 14 is used, it is in the extended position and the guide member 15 is in the retracted position. The stapleradapter is not in the path of travel between the ejected staples and the frames in which the staple is to penetrate.

I claim:

1. A stapler adapter comprising:

. a. an attachment adapted for mounting onto the nose of a stapler, said attachment plate being formed with a plurality of parallel grooves extending in the general direction of the direction of travel of staples to be ejected; and

b. a guide member disposed in each of said grooves,

said guide members being respectively movable in its associated groove between an extended position for engagement with an edge of structure and a retracted position.

2. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide members are alternatively movable within said grooves.

3. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide members are greater in length than said grooves and extend beyond said attachment, whereby an operator can apply manual force to move said guide members respectively within the respective grooves.

4. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide members being movable respectively to the extended position for engaging a door frame to guide the location of an ejected staple with respect to the door frame, said guide members being movable respectively to the retracted position for positioning in a path removed from engagement with a door frame.

5. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide members are selectively located in the extended position depended on whether the stapler is used from a right-hand position or a left-hand position.

6. A stapler as claimed in claim 5 and comprising means disposed between said attachment plate and said guide members respectively for retaining said guide members respectively in selected positions and for indexingsaid guide members respectively to guide the extent of their respective movements within the associated grooves.

7. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means comprise spring loaded detents and wherein detent receiving means are formed in said guide members for receiving the associated spring loaded detent. 

1. A stapler adapter comprising: a. an attachment adapted for mounting onto the nose of a stapler, said attachment plate being formed with a plurality of parallel grooves extending in the general direction of the direction of travel of staples to be ejected; and b. a guide member disposed in each of said grooves, said guide members being respectively movable in its associated groove between an extended position for engagement with an edge of structure and a retracted position.
 2. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide members are alternatively movable within said grooves.
 3. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide members are greater in length than said grooves and extend beyond said attachment, whereby an operator can apply manual force to move said guide members respectively within the respective grooves.
 4. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide members being movable respectively to the extended position for engaging a door frame to guide the location of an ejected staple with respect to the door frame, said guide members being movable respectively to the retracted position for positioning in a path removed from engagement with a door frame.
 5. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide members are selectively located in the extended position depended on whether the stapler is used from a right-hand position or a left-hand position.
 6. A stapler as claimed in claim 5 and comprising means disposed between said attachment plate and said guide members respectively for retaining said guide members respectively in selected positions and for indexing said guide members respectively to guide the extent of their respective movements within the associated grooves.
 7. A stapler adapter as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means comprise spring loaded detents and wherein detent receiving means are formed in said guide members for receiving the associated spring loaded detent. 